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Terry is right about Oregon climate producing unique form. We find that the nursery plants grown there have annual extensions of 2-4 times what occur in our region. This produces comparatively taller trees with slender caliper. The forest-like climate at the Portland garden increases this effect. If you want a similar appearance, you could use a plant commonly seen as an understory shrub, such as Pieris, and prune to a tree-form. Reproducing a Northwest climate would also help; provide protection from drying winds, shade and lots of water, all the time. Starter material might be best found where inattention to a seed bed allowed many plants to reach for the available light, say in a neglected spot in a nursery (One time I purchased an entire group grown that way from someone who felt they were "unsellable"). I wonder if there is a Stewartia that can tolerate your dry heat. It seems they might be a species to investigate. Don, what do you think?

Looks good, I like how you changed the material of the paths to bring attention to the views. If I am coming from the patio it works quite well. But coming from the left on the path I hope you make the tree where the paths intersect special in some way.

When purchasing your plants remember scale, you want to make the plants furthest away appear smaller, this gives a sense of more space and depth.

... Cypher , I'm reminded of the logic question: if there are 53 survivors, on which side of the border did they die?

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Please make suggestions or comments on how to improve the idea. Thanks

I'm not sure this is a suggestion or a comment, more rather a question stemming from an observation that remotely may improve the design: what is the difference betwixt the old garden to the new proposed garden?

--- ? and, where are the main views (from windows)?------- what is the objective? (why?)

I would need to understand what the differences are before I would comment or suggest an improvement. I would like to understand the design + site from your perspective, and then examine my perceptions to see if they are still valid. thks, edzard

1)all my main views are from the patio where the stone path is. There are 2 big sliding windows by the patio that face the garden. I also have another high window facing the shed where i will be planting a sakura.2) the main objective would be as im walking through my path from the patio, have some nice deciduos trees (Japanese maple like) so that i can see them from my family room and dining room. There would be a bamboo partition at the end of the house seperating the back of the yard to the front. That would be so that everytime i walk into my back yard, it makes me have the sence that i will be in a more secluded garden away from the patio area when i make the left turn after the partition.. Having the black pine in the center will represent the strenght of my garden. At the top of my garden/next to the pond, i will have a bench where i can go sit and relax while listening to the water. The sakura tree will planted infront of the shed so that i can view it as im in the TV room. To me this garden will be more of a getaway.There is nothing to this garden now. The only changes that i will be making is the removal of the orange trees that are pictured in page 1. As a matter of fact, i posted some detailed pics of my yard in page 1. The garden now is just plain dirt.

(I have carefully studied the photos on page 1, thank you)- then:... the path on page 1 stays where it is (?),and the only change is that the orange tree changes to a pine tree?(and you are removing the orange tree(s) because they are messy and no other reason?)

what shape will the pine tree be? do you have an image/example? thanks

The brick path will be removed and the new path will be centered between the house wall and garage wall. The orange trees will be removed because 1)messy 2)not planted in the best place. I have trimmed both these trees and they litter daily.I found some images online of the kind of look im going after for the pine. 1st picture is best.